Iran's Head of the Prisoners of War (POWs) Committee Brigadier General Abdullah Najafi said on Sunday that so far, 97 percent of Iraqi and Iranian POWs have been repatriated through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), reported Iran News Agency (IRNA).

Najafi said that talks have started with the ICRC for the exchange of the remaining prisoners.

He said that the exchange of the prisoners will start after an agreement is reached between Iran and Iraq, said IRNA.

According to the official, so far 59,830 Iraqi POWs have been released by Iran, while 39,417 Iranian POWs have been repatriated from Iraq, added the agency.

He said that about 37,500 Iranian and Iraqi POWs were released in

August 1990 and in the first phase of the exchange, IRNA added - Albawaba.com